Foxing wows with hometown blowout

When bands play in their hometown, it is hardly ever a “normal” performance. There is a special atmosphere and energy that seems to manifest itself within the venue where it happens, and Foxing’s Friday, April 8 performance was no exception. The first clue that this was not going to be an average show was the venue, The Luminary on Cherokee Street. While yes, they have a stage and host concerts semi-regularly, it is known first and foremost as an art gallery. The current art installations were on display Friday night and included everything from sculptures to videos.

While I will be the first to admit I rarely “understand” contemporary art, I can still appreciate it nonetheless and loved viewing the various pieces on display before venturing into the crowd. Once entering the crowd, I was taken aback by the warm colors that were displayed on and around the stage. White walls surrounded the stage, along with a white backdrop and pink and green lights displaying the bands playing. It was a stark contrast to the usual very dark venue, with blues and other dark colors dominating the color scheme presented. It was yet another art decision probably made by the Luminary that I didn’t fully get, but loved nonetheless.

The next aspect of the concert that signaled something special was in store was the fact that it was the last show on a five-week-long tour. All of the bands took at least a minute of their set to give their thanks to all of the others involved on the tour, and the substance of the thanks made it clear that there was true love and admiration between all four bands that made up the tour. Speaking of the other bands, I unfortunately did not catch the set of the first band Adjy, but if it was anything like their recently released EP “Prelude (.3333),” then it was a conglomerate of heavy percussion mixed with crazed vocals and surely made for a great show.

The next artist on the bill, and the first that I saw, was Tancred, whose sound was minimalist between their three members. Despite this fairly minimalist approach, the band packed a whole lot of aggression into their songs – mainly through singer Jess Abbott’s biting vocals, storytelling lyrics and guitar playing that was just as vicious as her voice. It was their first performance in St. Louis, and the warm welcome that they received is hopefully an indication that they will be back soon.

Emo veterans O’Brother were up next on the bill, and I was a bit nervous going into their set. I could never get into their studio albums despite multiple attempts. Luckily for me, their live show brought their music up an infinite number of levels and garnered a new amount of respect from me for their music. Between their three guitars, growling vocals and extension of songs in which chaotic noise was presented in the best manner possible, the band certainly won over any skeptics (especially me). This set, which had a perfect ebb and flow to it, set the stage nicely for the hometown heroes, Foxing.

As the band was setting up, an electric energy took over the Luminary, and only was realized in full as singer Conor Murphy sang the opening lines to “The Medic.” From there on out, it was a night in which emotions were worn on the sleeves of the band, and the crowd went along on a journey that echoed their sentiments. One fan had commented to me, “I’ve been searching for these tunes all my life, and finally found them when I listened to Foxing.” Pulling from both their phenomenal debut “The Albatross” and last year’s equally as beautiful “Dealer,” Foxing showcased how they can go from playing at a whisper to going absolutely berserk in the span of jusr one song. Though the entire set was mind bogglingly good, there were some obvious standouts.

In “Bit By a Dead Bee Pt. 1,” guitarist Eric Hudson screamed his backup vocals with such intensity that he was visibly drained, having given up every ounce of energy. And yet they moved forward, powering into “Night Channels” and then “Indica,” two of “Dealer’s” finest tracks, showcasing the wide range of the band. To top off the set, which was more of an hour-long victory lap than a normal show, the band ended with the fan favorite of “Rory.”

The fans crawled on top of each other, becoming a sea of motion, and the band thrashed around on stage as the lines between the two were blurred, everyone screaming at the top of their lungs “So why won’t you love me back?”

Though the whole show was impressive, this song was bliss in its purest form. The band then said one final thanks, a common thread throughout their set, and left the stage.

The fans piled out onto the street, just awaiting the next time Foxing gets to come home, so that the magic that Foxing creates can be experienced once more.